Alien 2

Alien 2

Description

Alien #2
A colony of 9 salps – Cyclosalpa affinis – in a super-duper cool ring shape – total diameter ~9cm. I’ve struggled to understand why this ring shape is advantageous – anyone? anyone? Perhaps it aids in locomotion? Perhaps its asexually reproducing and they’ll split off soon? I’ve seen salp chains several meters long, but this ring shape looks more like a flower. Look closely right near the center, and you’ll see an amphipod who’s made this colony its floating home.